Pegasus Airlines plans new Macedonia flights


Turkish low cost carrier Pegasus Airlines is planning to launch new services to Macedonia next year. According to the Macedonian Embassy in Turkey, the no frills airline intends on introducing services from Izmir to both Skopje and Ohrid "in late May 2019". Pegasus currently maintains three weekly flights from Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Skopje, with six weekly operations planned for the 2019 summer season. The carrier is Macedonia's fifth busiest behind Wizz Air, Turkish Airlines, Austrian Airlines and Germania Flug, handling some 67.400 passengers on its flights to and from Skopje during the first three quarters of the year. It accounts for a passenger share of 3.7%.

Macedonia was the partner country at this year's Travel Turkey Expo, which was held in Izmir late last week. During the fair, representatives from Pegasus Airlines, as well as local tour operators and the Macedonian Agency for the Promotion and Support of Tourism met to discuss the planned new flights. Tickets for the new services will be put on sale directly by the airline, while tour operator Jolli Travel will also have a share of seats on each flight. Turkish nationals make up the largest number of tourists in Macedonia, with 129.708 visiting the country in 2017 alone. During the January - July period of this year, a total of 72.352 Turkish travellers visited Macedonia.

Turkish carriers have been growing their presence in Macedonia recently and plan to further strengthen their operations. This year, low cost airline Onur Air launched seasonal flights between Istanbul's Ataturk Airport and Ohrid. Turkish Airlines plans to boost its operations to Skopje next summer season with the carrier to maintain a total of eighteen weekly services, up from this year's fourteen per week. Frequencies will be progressively added from April 1 and will peak in late June. Istanbul continues to be the most popular destination from Macedonia with some 10.8% of all passengers travelling between Skopje, Ohrid and Turkey's largest city, or around 196.748 travellers. In addition, Turkish Airlines, Corendon Airlines and SunExpress continue to operate seasonal charters from the Turkish coast to Skopje.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    Great. Finally some new flights to Macedonia next year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:06

      My guess is these will be seasonal though.

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    2. Anonymous09:11

      The more the better, even if it is a route which is seasonal.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:02

    Well that ends chances of the starting flights to Nis.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:09

      Maybe TK will fly to INI

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:05

    Great news

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:06

    Good to see Ohrid gets some new flights too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous09:06

    We already have multiple flights and options to IST so it's nice to see another point in Turkey added.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous09:10

    These will launch unless TK blocks them, like in Tivat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:13

      ?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:20

      Pegasus wanted to launch SAW-TIV this year but Montenegro CAA blocked them under the influence of Turkish Airlines.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:25

      Pegasus je zainterosovan i za S19! Ako ga CAA ne blokira...

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:56

      i think Macedonia and Turkey have open skies agreement

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:10

    I would prefer if SKP would try and attract some European legacies like Air France, KLM, British Airways, Lufthansa that can offer good onward connections. We already have so many flights to Turkey.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:13

      lol. There is simply demand for Turkey.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:14

      20% of the tourists in Macedonia are from Turkey so this is no surprise.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:39

      Good onward connections?
      TK flies to almost every village in the world and has more connections than all of the carriers you mentioned.
      Furthermore, they offer a better product both in economy and premium compared to e.g. BA which is simply embarrasing (both in economy and premium).

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:18

      Hheheh Macedonians "complaining" about many flights to Turkey while the Sarajevo lads complain about Middle East. Obviously there is interest and demand.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:12

    Many years ago Pegasus used to fly Izmir-Skopje so it's good to see the route resuming.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:43

      Do you remember which year this was?

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    2. Anonymous09:52

      when TAV took over SKP

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:03

      Was it year round or seasonal? How many flights were there per week and did how long did they operate? It might give us a sense as to how many flights we can expect next year on this route.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:13

      I missed this part! I didn´t know that Izmir was previously connected to Skopje.
      I think it´s time for BEG to try negotiating for the same.
      BEG-ADB.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous14:32

      The Izmir-Skopje flights were operating during 2011-2012, three times per week, launched at the same time as the SAW-SKP flight, and the flights were supposed to be year round, but they ended up being cancelled.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous15:01

      Thanks for the info. Hopefully they will be more successful.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous15:02

      But is there really demand for year round to/from Izmir?

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:13

    How many frequencies per week could we get?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous09:15

    I'm wondering why there is no demand for Ankara, at least maybe for 2 or 3 times per week?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:03

      TK should operate these flights. I'm sure they could make an A319 twice per week work on this route.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous09:16

    The Jerusalem of the Balkans is finally getting a new hope. Good look OHD!
    Yesterday, W6 announced a 2nd aircraft in VAR but unfortunately Macedonia was not included :(
    There is potential for flights from SOF-OHD definitely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:27

      Rather seasonal but may work. Not sure W6 would be happy with the yields.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:35

      I have been to Ohrid a few times but never to the airport. So if someone knows, what are the facilities like? Is it large/small, is there a duty free?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:39

      It's small, but it's quite OK, you can compare the size with facilities in Nis.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:48

      TAV did some renovations when they took over.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:16

      Which airport is bigger in size in general? Facilities, aporn capacity, movements, etc INI or OHD? People here have been comparing INI to SKP, but I see SKP bigger in size.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous09:16

    This will connect 50k potential residents from ohrid struga dbar kicevo bitola korca pogradec to Izmir.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous09:19

    SKP will soon have to expand its terminal with such big passenger growth and new airlines constantly announcing flights.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:25

      "airlines constantly announcing flights"

      This is the only announcement for 2019 so far.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:30

      The tender will lead to an instant announcement! So, don't you worry mate.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:34

      I really hope so. I hope it's not annulled.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:24

    Surprised by those numbers for Turkey. Hopefully Onur Air keeps Ohrid next summer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:26

      It's not a big surprise since they do not need visas, its relatively close and it's cheap.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:34

      It still has some space till it reaches 4 mio. plus old terminal is conserved and can be used every time (around 700k capacity). However the problem is that it gets overcrowded in early morning and afternoon when most of the flights are scheduled. Moreover this ends hopes for stagnation of the airport which some people here hoped for.
      Btw. can someone tell me if with the opening of the new IST airport TAV is losing its biggest airport?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:40

      Thanks. I wasn't aware capacity is 4 million. That's good.

      Yes with the closure of IST in a few weeks, TAV looses its biggest airport.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:41

      INI fan boys and girls will pop up now and tell you about the cuts of BCN and VXO. HAHA.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:49

      yes

      Delete
    6. Anonymous15:12

      Are you telling us they are wrong and that they didn't cut those lines?

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:34

    Good job, Macedonia!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous09:35

    Great news coming from Macedonia this year with new routes from Ohrid and Skopje. It's impressive for a relatively small market but it's definitely growing. Good work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:45

      Agree. This year was fantastic.

      From Skopje we had new LOT and Aegean flights.

      From Ohrid Nordica, Brussels Airlines, Tui, Onur Air...

      Good year.

      Hope the next one is just as successful.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:50

      and two A321

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:48

      Hopefully same trend will continue next year but we have much less announcements for next year. Almost none except Pegasus. Yes, Wizz will introduce some new routes if they win tender but that means that all growth next year will rely on Wizz next year.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:00

      nothing bad with that

      Delete
    5. Anonymous15:13

      JU is reducing SKP from 14 to 12 weekly next summer. I guess they can't compete with Wizz Air.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous19:12

      they cant compete with other legacies it seems. even OU beat them in SKP this year

      Delete
    7. Anonymous19:17

      They are reducing it becauae they are rederecting the plane for a new 2 weekly route but as you will see capacity to Skopje will remain the same as if it was double daily.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:40

    Is Izmir Airport managed by TAV?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:49

      Makes sense.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:51

      its such a nice airport btw

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:55

      Why so? (not saying this sarcastically, I've never been).

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:01

      from the architecture. not your "standard" TAV TBS and SKP style

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:06

      Just had a look. It does look very nice.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous10:02

    This is mostly for tourists but it's still good news.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous10:07

    There are a lot of turkish tourists visiting so it should increase tourism even more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:09

      Interestingly number of Turkish tourists in Macedonia is down this year compared to last.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:11

      What are the other main tourists in Macedonia?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:13

      1. Turkish
      2. Serbian
      3. Greek
      4. Bulgarian
      5. Dutch
      6. Albanian
      7. Kosovo
      8. German
      9. Croatian
      10. Polish

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:27

      https://seenews.com/news/macedonias-10-mo-tourist-numbers-in-macedonia-rise-131-636462

      Delete
    5. Anonymous16:47

      Bulgarians are number 1 in Macedonia. The issue with the statistics and politics. Some people just don't want to admit it.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous10:11

    Macedonia has 130000 Turkish visitors, Croatia 34000, you'd think it would be the other way around.
    Congrats Macedonia!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:14

      Because they need visas to Croatia.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:16

      And Macedonia is relatively close to Turkey. Many come by bus.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:23

      Even before visas were introduced there were never over 30,000 Turkish tourists in Croatia.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:35

      Yes but at that time there were also less in Macedonia.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:59

      do you have turkish daily soaps on croatian TV stations?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:02

      Yes, they are among most popular shows on tv.

      Delete
    7. Basel, Vienna and Zurich

      Delete
  21. Anonymous10:24

    This will be seasonal for sure. How many year round routes from OHD?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:27

      2 - Basel and Vienna by Wizz.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:36

      Shame they dropped London year round.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:37

      ^Visas.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:46

      Yet the Skopje line works despite visas. It's not about visas. It's about demand.

      Delete
  22. Anonymous10:38

    Ohrid has a lot of potential and the tourism is still not developed to its full potential. So I think we will only see flights grow more and more in the future. Nice to see Pegasus starting up this route.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:48

      Agree. It really is a special place there.

      Delete
  23. Anonymous10:38

    Oct tourist stats in MK:

    1.TUR 2.GRE 3.SRB 4.BUL 5.GER 6.CRO 7.ALB 8.CHINA 9.KS 10.USA 11.SLO 12.NED 13. UK 14.POL 15.ITA

    btw. CRO a staggering +87% increase

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:41

      It makes sense then Croatia Airlines has also seen passenger growth on SKP route. Also impressive about Chinese.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:44

      OU should return that double daily for next summer season #airnostrum

      Delete
  24. Anonymous10:49

    Nice to see for both Skopje and Ohrid. There are still a few airline which could start flights, particularly to Ohrid. Would be nice if they attracted Adria back. I think 2 weekly with their Saabs would work perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:01

      particularly Air Serbia!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:02

      Well they flew last year.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:19

      some genius from Abu Dhabi moved the flights so they landed in OHD at 2am... couldnt be worse tbh

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:36

      That timings was put to pick up transfers for morning flights from BEG.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:57

      true dat but OHD was not living from transfer pax it was peeps from Belgrade and NS on a short holiday break at Ohrid Lake. Moving the flight to after midnight to cater the new hub strategy eventually killed it. Maybe Aviolet should handle this

      Delete
  25. Anonymous10:55

    Does anyone know about the projections of both SKP and OHD by 2025? In Croatia, there was a person posting those projections. Maybe he/she can help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:58

      that person uses his kristalna kugla for that...

      Delete
  26. Anonymous11:03

    So a new route to the east. Not bad. We are missing Moscow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:20

      Pobeda was in the talks

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:48

      They should try and attract Aeroflot. If LJU has flights, why not SKP/OHD.

      Delete
  27. Anonymous11:09

    Excellent! PEgasus is an LCC so prices will be affordable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:57

      I don't want Pegasus on the LCC, most of their routes would be probably to Turkey, especially from OHD.

      Delete
  28. Anonymous12:55

    Just to good. Hope that OHD will get and other new flights in 2019, I think that great can work OSL/TRF, CPH, MMX, GOT - mostly of the airports in Scandinavia because Macedonia has very big diaspora there. Flights to Italy would be also good.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous12:59

    I want to see Norwegian, TUI and Eurowings from Macedonian airports.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous15:06

    Lets hope MK airports continue the trend in 2019.
    Will OK resume flights to SKP? I remember they had a lousy timetable.
    I think SKP needs to be connected to PRG.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous17:06

    Flota aviona Pegasus airlines ima Boeing 737-800 aviona i novih Airbus320 aviona.Vrlo interesantna je situacija sto Makedonci obozavaju da lete na Boeing737 avione za Istambul,uglavnom je avion vise od 80% pun,dok kad ista aviokompanija leti na relaciji Istambul-Skopje sa Airbus 320, avion skoro da je prazan ima manje od 40% putnika u avionu.

    ReplyDelete

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